Breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease in a landmark ruling
A French court has officially recognized a former flight attendant's breast cancer as an occupational disease, citing night work, ionizing radiation, and passive smoking. This landmark ruling sets a legal precedent that could facilitate similar claims for other aviation workers.
Why it matters
Establishes a significant legal pathway for workers in high-risk industries to seek compensation for occupationally-linked illnesses.
A flight attendant in France has succeeded in having her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease, a first for the country’s aviation industry, her lawyer and a trade union said.
The ruling – which recognised that Sophie Lainault, a former flight attendant, had frequently worked at night and been exposed to passive smoking – could pave the way for similar claims, the lawyer and the CFDT union said.
Lainault said she hoped her legal victory could help other women.
“It is truly my dearest wish that this opens the way for other women who might not have dared until now,” the 59-year-old, who lives in Anglet in southwestern France, said.
Now in remission, Lainault said she worked between 1989 and 2019 as a flight attendant and later as a purser on long-haul flights, accumulating more than 12,600 flight hours, including over 6,500 at night.
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